


More Powerful

by Merfilly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Force Ghost Qui-Gon Jinn, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 17:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6866602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In one timeline, Shmi has aide quickly enough to matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More Powerful

_IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN, I SHALL BECOME MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE._ \-- Obi-Wan Kenobi, _Star Wars: Episode IV_

++++

If harm, permanent harm, came to this woman, the galaxy would be lost.The spectral presence knew that, even as he wished to take the pain from her. 

Their enemy knew it as well, for the captive was being slowly tortured, to draw the pain out as long as possible. With all the evidence surrounding him, and knowing how poorly Anakin had adapted to life within the Jedi Code, the specter began gathering the Force to him. It wrapped around his form, invisible to all eyes, but present enough to raise the hair on the human's neck, and make the animals of the tribe howl.

"Courage." The word, uttered in the rich, resonant tones of a voice Shmi Skywalker had heard years before, made her seek the speaker. None appeared to her eyes, but Shmi was mother of the Chosen One. The ways of the Force were not unknown to her, even if she had lost the language long before.

The night deepened, and Shmi felt the air stir further, heard as the banthas began to mill and then actively try to stampede. The snarl of the massiffs changed to howling noises and then to frightened yips as the banthas evaded their handlers and broke for the open desert. The Sand People were caught up in that, even her guards, for the tribe would not survive without their mounts and milk-givers.

"Now."

As hurt as she was, and the bindings… no, the bindings were falling from her hands and ankles even as she looked to them… yes, she would have to move swiftly, and at least hope that when they came after her, it was with death, rather than capture on their minds.

The specter did all it could to bend the Living Force, shaping the power at hand into a fierce wind behind the woman, before giving just a small push so that it blossomed into one of the desert's deaths of wind-driven sand that cut like a thousand knives. Only then could he better guide the woman with flickers of energy that sparked and died out, ever further, closer to those who would be able to save her.

++++

Cliegg and Owen held Shmi in a tight embrace, the son pressed against her back protectively as the husband wept in joy. They had not been able to get a strong enough party together yet to go out… and here she was.

"How did you escape, my wife?" Cliegg asked, unwilling to turn loose of her.

"It had to be the Force's will," she said, and then would say no more of the escape as she gave her all to reassuring both husband and step-son that she was going to be fine.

++++

In the wilds of Tatooine, rumor spread that the Skywalker-Lars homestead was haunted, guarded by a powerful demon, and no money from off-world could ever buy another attack upon it. The Rrhr hunting band had taken such and lost more than half their herd, their guardian massiffs, and even some of their best hunters in the storm that stole away the Great Jawenko's mate they had captured.


End file.
